1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing technique and, more particularly, to an information processing technique that involves image processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of computer graphics technology in recent years, image data output from information processing apparatuses like a mainframe computer, a personal computer and game devices is becoming more and more complex and advanced. In this background, these information processing apparatuses have a built-in graphic processor dedicated to image processing apart from a main processor for ordinary processing, in order to eliminate system overhead by releasing the main processor from image processing.
One of the effective ways to achieve high-performance processing in these information processing apparatuses is to configure the main processor as a multiprocessor. A multiprocessor determines the order of execution of time-divided tasks corresponding to a plurality of applications. Parallel processing is achieved by allocating the tasks to a plurality of processors. The graphic processor is required to execute image processing corresponding to the plurality of tasks processed by the main processor in a manner compatible with the high-speed operation of the main processor.
With image data becoming more and more complex and advanced, it has become common for the image processing speed in the graphic processor to control the processing rate of the information processing apparatuses. In order for the main processor configured as a multiprocessor to allow the graphic processor to perform the operation for image processing required in one of a plurality of tasks, the main processor has to wait until the operation for image processing being performed by the graphic processor is completed. In the case of a task in which graphics output in response to the user's operation vary in real time as in a game, the wait may cause degradation in image quality such as video discontinuity or dropped frames.